Folding carton



May 24, 1966 R. E. PRYOR 3,252,650

FOLDING CARTON Filed Oct. 8, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ROBERT E PRYOR ATTORNEY May 24, 1966 R. E. PRYOR 3,252,650

FOLDING CARTON Filed cm. s, 1965 z Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ROBERT E. PRYOR ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,252,650 FOLDING CARTON Robert E. Pryor, Louisville, Ky., assignor to The Mead Corporation, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Oct. 8, 1963, Ser. No. 314,689 '5 Claims. (Cl. 229-40) The present invention relates to a folding carton.

Generally, there is provided a folding carton especially adapted for the packaging of rectangularly shaped articles. The carton comprises a rectangular bottom panel to each edge of which is integrally interconnected along a fold line a relatively narrow side panel to the outer edge of each of which is integrally interconnected, in turn, along a fold line, a generally triangular top panel member having its apex portion remote from said bottom panel and cut away on a line parallel to the adjacent side panel. Two opposed top panels fold inwardly to encompass the article to be packaged in the carton while the remaining two opposed top panels which are slightly larger than the first two mentioned top panels may then be folded over the first mentioned top panels in overlapping relation thereto whereupon they may be glued or stapled to the same. The larger of the pairs of top panels have their free edges in abutting relation, causing the planes of their respective associated side panels to extend upwardly and outwardly, while the smaller of the pairs of top panels likewise have their free edges in abutting relation but, due to their smaller size, this causes the planes of their respective side panels to extend upwardly and inwardly. The side panels form with their adjoining top or bottom panels a space within the carton which is triangular in cross sectional area and open on its inner side thus forming a buffer on all four sides for the article placed within the carton. The blank from which the present device is formed is substantially square thus providing a device which lends itself to manufacture from a continuous roll of material at a minimum loss of waste material.

It is, accordingly, an object of the invention to provide a device of the character set forthwhich is simple in construction, relatively inexpensive to manufacture and yet which is effective and efiicient in use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a carton of the character set forth having opposed pairs of side walls whose planes extend angularly with respect to each other.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel carton having simple sealing means forming a part of the invention.

A still further object of the invention is to provide, in a device of the character set forth, novel abutting pairs of overlapping top panels forming a part of the invention.

Still another object of the invention is to provide, in a device of the character set forth, novel buffer means for articles packaged therein.

Other and further objects of the invention will become apparent from a reading of the following specification taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of an embodiment of the invention in blank form;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the device illustrated in FIGURE 1 showing'the same partly folded;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view showing the device completely closed;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIGURE 3; and,

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 5-5 of FIGURE 3.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown therein a carton of the character set forth having a rectangular bottom panel having fold lines 11 at its shorter sides and fold lines 12 at its longer sides. Relatively narrow side panels 13 are integrally connected with bottom panel 3,252,650 Patented May 24, 1966 10 along fold lines 11 while like relatively narrow side panels 14 are integrally interconnected with bottom panel 10 along fold lines 12.

An inner top panel 15 is integrally connected to the outer edge of each of the side panels 13 along a fold line 16 and an outer top panel 17 is integrally connected to the outer edge of each of the side panels 14 along a fold line 18.

Panels 17 are somewhat larger than panels 15 and are each provided with foreshortened parallel sides 19, outwardly convergent edges 20 and a straight outer edge 21 which is parallel to its associated fold line 18.

Panels 15 are each provided with foreshortened parallel sides 22, outwardly convergent side edges 23, and a straight outer edge 24 which is parallel to its associated fold line 16.

A triangular shaped corner piece 25 interconnects each two adjacent side panels 13 and 14 along fold lines 26.

In use, an article 27 to be packaged in the carton is placed upon bottom panel 10, it being understood that the carton is made of a size to accommodate such article. Thereupon, the inner top panels 15 are first folded over the article 27 until the edges 24 thereof come into abutting relation. Because of the relatively smaller size of the :panels 15, the side panels 13 associated therewith are caused to extend inwardly and upwardly as illustrated in FIGURE 5, thus forming with the adjacent sides of article 27 and bottom panel 10 spaces 28 which are triangular in cross sectional area. The outer top panels 17 are then folded toward each other until their edges 21 come into abutting relation and, being larger than panels 15, the angular side edge portions thereof overlap the adjacent edge portions of panels 15 whereupon the said edge portions may be glued together or interconnected by staples 29, as shown in FIGURE 3. When the outer top panels 17 are thus brought together, the side panels 14 associated therewith will extend upwardly and outwardly, as seen in FIG- URE 4, likewise forming with the adjacent sides of article 27 and top panel 17 a space 30 which is triangular in cross sectional area.

It will be apparent that article 27 may be quickly and simply packaged in the car-ton by the means above de scribed and that when subjected to shocks as, for example, in transit, the article 27 will not violently contact, as in the ordinary case, the flat side of a carton of normal shape but, on the contrary, will have such violent contact absorbed by either riding in sliding contact upwardly on the adjacent side panel 14 or downwardly in sliding contact with the adjacent side panel 13.

It will also be seen that the adjacent edges 20 and 23 of adjacent side panels 17 and 15, respectively, are, in each case, coplanar, thus making the blank from which the carton is formed of a generally rectangular shape, thus permitting of manufacture of the same from a continuous roll of material in conventional manner with a minimum of waste.

While the foregoing presents a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is obvious that other modifications and/or equivalents may be employed without departing from the scope of the invention, which is defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is: v

1. A device of the character described comprising a rectangular bottom panel, relatively narrow side panels integrally connected to the sides of said bottom panel along fold lines, inner top panels integrally interconnected along fold lines to a pair of opposed side panels, outer top panels integrally connected to the remaining opposed side panels along fold lines, said outer top panels being slightly larger than said inner top panels'whereby to overlie .the latter, and means for fastening the overlapped portions of said top panels, each of said pairs of panels having their free edges in abutting relation, the planes of the side panels associated with the pair of outer side panels extending upwardly and outwardly from said bottom panel, and the planes of the side panels associated with said inner top panels extending upwardly and inwardly from said bottom panel.

2. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said fastening means comprises staples.

3. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein the adjacent side edges of the adjacent side panels are coextensive.

4. A device of the character described comprising a rectangular bottom panel, relatively narrow side panels integrally connected to the sides of said bottom panel along fold lines, inner top panels integrally connected along fold lines to a pair of opposed side panels, outer top panels integrally connected to the remaining opposed side panels along fold lines, and means for fastening the overlapped portions of said top panels, the planes of the side panels associated with vthe pair of outer side panels 4 extending upwardly and outwardly from said bottom panel, andthe planes oftthe side panels associated with said inner top panels extending upwardly and inwardly from said bottom panel.

5. A device as defined in claim 4 wherein said side panels are interconnected by triangular corner pieces.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 762,760 6/ 1904 Reynolds 229-31 1,707,680 4/ 1929 Norwood 229-40 X 1,760,106 5/1930 Beach 229-31 X 2,105,057 1/ 1938 Sharpe 229-33 2,239,468 4/ 1941 Hayden.

3,001,686 9/1961 Shepherd 229-40 3,027,063 3/1962 Zastrow 229-40 X FRANKLIN T. GARRETT, Primary Examiner. 

1. A DEVICE OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED COMPRISING A RECTANGULAR BOTTOM PANEL, RELATIVELY NARROW SIDE PANELS INTEGRALLY CONNECTED TO THE SIDES OF SAID BOTTOM PANEL ALONG FOLD LINES, INNER TOP PANELS INTEGRALLY INTERCONNECTED ALONG FOLD LINES TO A PAIR OF OPPOSED SIDE PANELS, OUTER TOP PANELS INTEGRALLY CONNECTED TO THE REMAINING OPPOSED SIDE PANELS ALONG FOLD LINES, SAID OUTER TOP PANELS BEING SLIGHTLY LARGER THAN SAID INNER TOP PANELS WHEREBY TO OVERLIE THE LATTER, AND MEANS FOR FASTENING THE OVERLAPPED PORTIONS OF SAID TOP PANELS, EACH OF SAID PAIRS OF PANELS HAVING THEIR FREE EDGES IN ABUTTING RELATION, THE PLANES OF THE SIDE PANELS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PAIR OF OUTER SIDE PANELS EXTENDING UPWARDLY AND OUTWARDLY FROM SAID BOTTOM PANEL, AND THE PLANES OF THE SIDE PANELS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID INNER TOP PANELS EXTENDING UPWARDLY AND INWARDLY FROM SAID BOTTOM PANEL. 